Filtered safety face shield and mask



Oct. 13, 1964 F. J. ROGOWSKI 3,152,583:

FILTERED SAFETY FACE SHIELD AND MASK Filed Nov. 14, 1961 22 T/w/ I 6 1 INVENTOR. FRANK J. ROGOWSKI United States Patent 3,152,588 FTLTERED AFETY FACE SHELD AND MASK Frank J. Rogowski, R0. Box 2183, Astoria Station, Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Nov. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 152,271 1 Claim. (Cl. 128141) This invention relates to safety facial masks and particularly to a mask for shielding and protecting a persons face during beauty treatments or while performing household or industrial tasks in a dusty or spray-laden atmosphere and this invention is an improvement over the safety facial masks disclosed in my copending applications Serial Number 43,909 filed July 7, 1960, now Patent No. 3,015,105, and Serial Number 109,674 filed May 12, 1961, now Patent No. 3,103,667.

According to the present invention there is provided a form-fitting mask for the face adapted to fit the contours of the face. The mask proper is a one-piece structure of transparent plastic material such as acetate, vinyl, acrylic or other synthetic resin. It is moisture-proof, rigid or semirigid, resistant to acids, dyes and other chemicals, warm to the touch, light in weight and resistant to cracking and breakage. A clearance is provided in the mask for receiving the wearers nose and defining a passage for air which passage is screened but permitting the wearer to breathe freely. The mask fits around the face up to the ears, up to the hair line at the forehead and under the chin. Earpieces may be provided to hold the mask on the face. When in use, beauty treatments can be applied such as hair spraying and the like without disturbing the makeup on the face. The user can wear the mask While performing tasks in a dusty atmosphere. It can also be used as a safety mask when spraying paint, when working around machinery such as grinders, saw milling machines and the like. Since the mask is transparent the wearer can see clearly therethrough while wearing it.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a self-contained safety facial mask in the form of a contoured transparent shell adapted to fit the curvature of the human face.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a safety facial mask with screen means for filtering the air breathed by the wearer.

Another object is to provide a safety facial mask that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and highly efiicient for the purposes intended.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a safety facial mask embodying one form of my invention in operative position on a persons face.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the mask per se.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof, the screen cover being shown open in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a safety facial mask embodying a modified form of the invention, with the screen cover shown open and the filtering pad shown detached.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view thereof.

Patented Oct. 13, 1964 Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a safety facial mask 10 made in accordance with one form of the present invention is shown in position on the head and over the face of a person 12, wearing the mask. The mask is preferably formed of suitable transparent, plastic material such as acetate, vinyl, acrylic or other synthetic resin and is light in weight. The mask comprises a thin body in the form of a shell 14 molded to conform to the shape of the face of a person. The body includes a front curved upper portion 16 conformable to the forehead of a person, flat sides 18, 18 conformable to the sides of the face of a person. The flat sides terminate in receding inwardly bottom portions 20, 20 conformable to the cheeks of a person.

At the front below the curved forehead portion 16, the side portions 18, 18 extend or bulge forwardly as indicated at 22, 22 and the extending portions are connected at the front by a rectangular fiat portion 24 which is positioned over the eyes of a wearer and protrudes slightly forwardly of the curved forehead portion. The side portions 18, 18 and connecting front portion 24 also protrude forwardly of the cheek portions 20, 20 and are joined to the cheek portions by a horizontal straight portion 28. The dimensions of the portions 18, 24 and 28 are such as to permit the wearer to wear eyeglasses if necessary.

In accordance with the present invention, a breathing and screening apparatus is provided between the front portion 24 and the bottom of the mask, which apparatus permits the wearer to breathe in the air and at the same time screens or filters the incoming air. This apparatus consists of a channel-shaped portion 30 extending from the juncture of the front portion 24 and the bottom horizontal straight portion 28 to the bottom end of the mask. The portion 30 tapers downwardly and inwardly as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The top of the channel-shaped portion 30 starts at about the bridge of the nose of the wearer and extends over the nose and mouth of the wearer to the chin. The front or base of the channel-shaped portion 30 is formed with a plurality of rectangular shaped openings 32, four of such openings being shown. The bottom of the channe1-shaped portion 30 is closed as indicated at 36. A separate cover 37 for the front or base of the channel shaped portion 30 is pivotally mounted on the channel shaped portion. The cover comprises a plastic plate 38 similar in shape and dimensions to the front or base of the channel-shaped portion 30. The plate 38 is pivoted at its bottom end as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the bottom end of the channel shaped portion by means of a pivot pin 40 extending through aligned bearing openings in the sides of the channel shaped portion and in side wings 42 formed on the plate 38. The plate 38 is formed with openings 44 similar in number and size with the openings 32 of the front or base of the portion 30, and adapted to align therewith when the cover is closed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A screening or filtering pad 46 is interposed between the front or base of the channel shaped portion 30 and cover plate 38. The pad is preferably formed of fabric material such as cheese cloth to permit the air to filter therethrough and through the aligned openings.

In a modified form of breathing and screening apparatus as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the openings 32' in the front or base of the channel-shaped portion 30' are round and more numerous, six being shown. The cover plate 38' is provided with an equal number of round holes or openings 44'.

In order to position the mask over the face of the wearer, the sides of the mask are slightly expanded by pulling the sides away from each other whereupon the mask is easily placed over the face and when the expanding pres sure is released the side portions 18 will grip the temples of the wearer, the resiliency of the material of the mask permitting this operation and holding the mask in position. A flexible string 50, with one end fastened to one of the side portions 18, by an eyelet 52, is provided to give an additional feeling of security. The other end of the string is adapted to be secured to an eyelet 54 on the other side portion 18.

When the mask is in position on the face of the wearer, the upper curved portion 16 is in contact with the fore head of the wearer, the rectangular front portion 24 is in front of the eyes and the channel-shaped portion 30 is over the nose and mouth of the wearer. The extending portions 22 and cross connecting piece 24 are dimensioned to provide clearance for a pair of eyeglasses on the eyes of the wearer of the device. The position and dimensions of the side extensions 22 and the rectangular front portion 24 also provide the wearer a wide expanse of view. At the same time, the breathing and filtering apparatus permits easy breathing which is filtered.

The channel-shaped portion 30 serves as a ready handle for putting the mask on and taking it off the wearer.

When the mask is worn, the wearer can easily see through the transparent walls. The mask fits snugly at the hairline H, at the ears E and just under the chin. Thus, makeup worn on the face of the wearer is protected by the mask. The face especially the nose is shielded and protected from adverse ambient conditions of dust, paint, dye and chemical sprays and the like.

The material of the body of the mask is preferably thermoplastic so that by heating sufficiently its contour can be changed if required to conform to a particular wearers face. The mask is light and comfortable to wear. It can be manufactured economically by wellknown mass production plastic molding methods.

It is to be understood that the safety facial mask is sanitary and can be readily washed. The mask protects the facial makeup, eyes, nostrils, mouth and the entire face of the wearer.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent A form fitting face mask comprised of a single piece of transparent vinyl plastic including a front upper portion concaved to accomodate the forehead of the wearer, substantially fiat side portions tapered inwardly at their edges, inwardly convexed bottom front cheek portions adapted to conform to the cheeks of the wearer, said side portions having fowardly projecting outwardly offset intermediate portions connected at the front by a rectangular flat eye portion of a width greater than that of said front upper portion and said cheek portions adapted to be spaced from and positioned over the eyes of the wearer to permit the wearing of glasses, said intermediate portions protruding forwardly of said check portions, a horizontal straight portion connecting said forwardly protruding portions with said cheek portions and underlying said eye portion, an arcuate bottom horizontal chin piece adapted to underlie the chin of the wearer, a downwardly inwardly inclined channel shaped portion extending from the junction of the rectangular eye portion and the bottom horizontal straight portion to the arcuate bottom horizontal chin piece adapted to cover the mouth and nose of the wearer, the bottom of said channel shaped portion having openings therein, a plastic closure plate for said channel shaped portion, pivoted at its bottom to the side edges of said channel shaped portion, said closure plate having openings in the front thereof aligned with the openings in said channel shaped portion, a filter pad interposed in said channel shaped portion beneath said plastic closure plate, and tie means extending from the opposite inner edges of said side portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,355,283 Diss Aug. 8, 1944 2,462,005 Schauweker Feb. 15, 1949 2,777,129 Hummel Jan. 15, 1957 2,786,204 Simpson Mar. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,447 Switzerland Jan. 29, 1903 257,023 Italy Feb. 1, 1928 

